The race is on to the next generation of high bandwidth mobility, called Long-Term Evolution (LTE), or 4G. Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier, is the most aggressive in its move to 4G, with rollouts beginning this year.

With the trials for its new 4G network under way and plans for national deployment to begin this year, Verizon Wireless is now reportedly moving up the availability date for its 4G handsets to mid-2011.

Previously, the company planned on handsets by the end of next year, so this half-year reduction is the latest in a series of moves to accelerate the rollout of LTE, or Long-Term Evolution, the 4G successor to its 3G network.

The disclosure was made by Anthony Melone, chief technology officer at Verizon Wireless, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. Verizon is on track to begin 4G rollouts later this year.

"They've been pretty aggressive over the past year about pushing up the completion of their rollout," Avi Greengart, research director for mobile products at Current Analysis, told InternetNews.com. "They aren't starting any earlier, they've always said they would start at the end of the year. Originally, they talked about completion in 2014. Now they are pulling that in by as much as a year to two years."